Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "What thing is the most great in witness?" Say: "Allâh (the Most Great!) is Witness between me and you; this Qur’ân has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach. Can you verily bear witness that besides Allâh there are other âlihah (gods)?" Say "I bear no (such) witness!" Say: "But in truth He (Allâh) is the only one Ilâh (God). And truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْqulSay
أَىُّayyuWhat
شَىْءٍshayinthing
أَكْبَرُakbaru(is) greatest
شَهَـٰدَةًۭ ۖshahādatan(as) a testimony
قُلِquliSay
ٱللَّهُ ۖl-lahuAllah
شَهِيدٌۢshahīdun(is) Witness
بَيْنِىbaynībetween me
وَبَيْنَكُمْ ۚwabaynakumand between you
وَأُوحِىَwaūḥiyaand has been revealed
إِلَىَّilayyato me
هَـٰذَاhādhāthis
ٱلْقُرْءَانُl-qur'ānu[the] Quran
لِأُنذِرَكُمli-undhirakumthat I may warn you
بِهِۦbihiwith it
وَمَنۢwamanand whoever
بَلَغَ ۚbalaghait reaches
أَئِنَّكُمْa-innakumDo you truly
لَتَشْهَدُونَlatashhadūnatestify
أَنَّannathat
مَعَmaʿawith
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
ءَالِهَةًālihatan(there are) gods
أُخْرَىٰ ۚukh'rāother
قُلqulSay
لَّآlāNot
أَشْهَدُ ۚashhadu(do) I testify
قُلْqulSay
إِنَّمَاinnamāOnly
هُوَhuwaHe
إِلَـٰهٌۭilāhun(is) God
وَٰحِدٌۭwāḥidunOne
وَإِنَّنِىwa-innanīand indeed, I am
بَرِىٓءٌۭbarīonfree
مِّمَّاmimmāof what
تُشْرِكُونَtush'rikūnayou associate (with Him)
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
19. Say, "Whose testimony is greatest?" Say, "Allah's. He is a witness between me and you. And this Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you with it, and whomever it reaches. Do you truly testify that there are other gods with Allah?" Say, "I do not testify (to that)." He is only One God, and I am completely free from the shirk you commit.
[20] How is Allah’s Testimony the Greatest of All?
There are two types of testimony: one is to present an eyewitness account before a judge or authority, which is called "WITNESS" in English. The second is testimony based on absolute certainty, which is called "EVIDENCE" in English. We Muslims, based on our absolute certainty, testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. So this testimony is not an eyewitness testimony. Nor are we direct or eye-witnesses, for we have neither seen Allah nor the Messenger ﷺ; rather, we give this testimony based on our absolute certainty or faith. And Allah’s testimony is the truest of all in this regard because it encompasses both aspects of testimony: since He is present and observing everywhere, in this sense it is an eyewitness testimony; then, He is the Creator, Owner, and Sustainer of every single thing in the universe, so no one can have such absolute certainty or true knowledge as He does.
[21] The Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ is Until the Day of Judgment and for Everyone:
After the disbelievers of Makkah, when the majority of Jews and Christians also denied you, the disbelievers began to say, "Now tell us, who will testify to your prophethood?" Then this verse was revealed. That is, Allah is a witness between me and you that I am indeed His Messenger, and whatever I say, I say by His command. And He is also a witness that this Quran has been revealed to me by Him, and the purpose of appointing me as a Messenger and revealing the Quran is so that I may warn you people in time of the punishment of the Hereafter, and through this Quran, warn all those to whom this message reaches. From this verse, it is established that the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah is for all the nations of the world and until the Day of Judgment, and it is also understood that it is the duty of the Muslim Ummah to convey the message of the Quran to every corner of the world.
[22] That is, testimony cannot be given merely on conjecture, assumption, or estimation unless there is absolute certainty or true knowledge about it, or it can be proven by clear evidence. So, O polytheists of Makkah! Tell me, can you give such testimony regarding your deities? And even if you do give such testimony, at least I am not prepared to give such testimony.